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Former KOIN News Director Busted By Feds

Former KOIN Portland news director Jeff Alan Brent (a.k.a. Jeff Alan), was arrested by federal agents yesterday, reports The Oregonian, after being indicted on charges of fraud and making false statements. Alan headed up KOIN’s newsroom from 2006 to 2008, reports the paper, after a career in radio and TV syndication and a presumed fall off the face of the earth.

Alan also wrote a book about journalism ethics, of all things.

Reports The Oregonian:

The charges returned by a federal grand jury Wednesday involve multiple counts of defrauding banks and making false statements on forms filed to the Social Security Administration, the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security.

The Oregonian says Alan led a Don Draper-esque double life: He split L.A. without telling his family a few decades ago, was declared dead, and started his local TV career under the pseudonym.

He began using a different Social Security number, according to federal officials. However, the new number was already being used by another person, who told investigators that his credit rating had long suffered as a result of the other user’s financial machinations, including a 2004 bankruptcy that allowed Alan to discharge $128,000 in debt.

Anyone out there work with Jeff Alan? What the heck was this mystery man like?